Railroad signaling device.



.1.-MEnRYwEATHER- RAILROAD SIGN'ALING DEVICE.

' 1Ju1y2e,19o1.1

(No Model.)

Patented Nov. 5, |90I.

mi I I!) him-gays' UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.'

JAMES MERRYWEATHER, OF GREENCASTLE, INDIANA.

RAILROAD SIGNALING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Nb. 685,782, dated November 5, 1901. Application nea my ze, 1901. stanno. saint. (No model.)

T all whom t may concern:

Beit known that 1, JAMES MERRYWEATHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greencastle, in the county of Putnam and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Railroad Signaling Device, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to certain improve ments in railroad signaling devices of that class in which a passing train operates to open or close an electrical circuit containing or including an electrical bell, an annunciator, or similar alarm, and has for its object 'to provide an improved form of circuit-closing device adapted for operation by the flanges of the car-wheel, as more fully set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views, Figure 1 is a perspective of a circuit-closing device constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same, illustrating the inclosing casing in section. Fig. 3 is an end elevation illustrating a modilicationvof the device as employed in connection with a normally open circuit, and Figs. 4 and 5 are elevations illustrating modifications of the structure. Y

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a suitable base or platform secured near the outer end of a railway-tie or to the road-bed in proximity to the track 2 and being situated either outside or inside the track, as may be preferred. Secured to this base are insulating-blocks 3, on which are mounted standards 5 6, Vhaving at their upper ends suitable openings, in which is journaled a rockshaft 7, suitable collars 8 being secured to said rock shaft at points adjacent to the standards in order to prevent longitudinal movement of the rock-shaft.

Secured to or formed integral with one end of the rock-shaft is an upwardly and outwardly extending lever 9, which projects into the path of the wheel-anges of a car traveling on the rail 2 and disposed in such manner as to be operated and depressed by each passing Wheel. At the opposite end of the rock-shaft is a downwardly and outwardly extended arm 10, having at its outer end a recess or opening 11 for the passage of a bolt 12, which carriesa contact-block 13, the block being cushioned to some extent by a coiled spring 14, situated between its rear face and the adjacent face of the arm 10.

The rock-shaft intermediate of its length is bent into crank form, as at 15, and is there connected to the ends of opposing helical tension-springs 16, secured to pins 17 on the base, the function of the springs being to maintain the rock-shaft in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, with the operating-lever 9 and the contact-arm in a vertical plane. Secured to the outer end of theloase-plate is a curved block 18, its base portion being insulated from the plate by a strip 19 of insulating material and its upper face being curved in the arc of a circle having its center coincident with the Y center of the rock-shaft 7. The curved upper surface of the block is covered with a plate 20, ot' suitable conducting'nletal, connected to a binding-post 21, from Which leads a line-wire 22, and to the standard 5 is secured a binding-post 23, to which is connected a line-wire 24, the two Wires forming part of a circuit in which may be included an electromagnetic bell, annunciator, or other alarm situated at any convenient point.

When the parts are in position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the circuit is closed through the standard 5, rock-shaft 7, arm 10, block 13, and contact-plate 20, the arrangement here illustrated being designed for use in connection with a normally closed circuit.

In the operation of the device a passing car-Wheel will strike and depress the lever 9 and through the rock-shaft move the arm 10 in the opposite direction, causing the block 13 and plate 2O to break contact and through the line-Wires eect the operation of the alarm.

Where the device is intended to be used on a normally open circuit, the block 18 is turned at right angles, and the contact-arm 10 is arranged at an angle to the vertical, With its contact-block 13 normally out of contact with the plate 20. The operation in this case is such that a slight turning of the rock-shaft, due to the contact of a passing Wheel-dange With the lever 9, will cause the arm lO to move the block 13 into contact with the plate 2O and complete the circuit, the

ICO

system being in this case simply changed from a closed to an open circuit and the ap paratus described being capable of use in connection with either system with but slight modification in the arrangement of its parts.

In Fig. I have illustrated a slight modication of the apparatus in which the contact-plate 20' is arranged in the arc of a circle below the contact-arm 10, the plate 20 being comparatively short, so that a slight movement of the contact-arm in either direction will cause the block 13 to travel beyond the end of lthe plate 20' and open the circuit.

Fig. 5 illustrates a further modification in which two contact-plates 20a are arranged in the arc of the circle and separated by ablock 26 of insulating material, against which latter the contact-block 13 normally rests. In this case the contact-plates 20a are both connected to the binding-post, and a slight movement of the arm lO in either direction will cause the block 13 to make contact with one of the plates, and thus complete the circ uit of an open-circuit system.

The device is of especial value for signaling the approach of trains at railway-crossings, the bell used being placed on a post or other support at the crossing proper and connected by vthe line-wires to a circuitclosing device situated alongside the track at a suitable distance from the crossing. It may also be employed to signal the arrival and departure of trains from railway-stations, the circuits being arranged in connection with visual or other circuits, as may be desired.

It will be understood that suitable modiications in the details of structure and the arrangement and proportions of parts may be made within the scope of the claim witl1-Y out departing from my invention.

ing 26', having a slot for the passage of lever 9, or the lever may be altogether outside the casing, as preferred.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- In a device of the class specified, a basef plate 1, standards 5, 6, carried by and insulated from said base-plate, a rock-shaft 7 journaled in said standards and having an intermediatedownwardly-extending cranked Y portion 15, opposing tension-springs 16 connected to said cranked portion and adapted to maintain the rock-shaft in proper'position, an arm 9 formed at the end of the shaft adapted for contact with Va passing car, a

contact-arm 10 disposed at theopposite ends of the rock-shaft, a yielding contactblock 13 'Y i' 'I carried by said arm, a curved block of insui Y my own I have hereto alixed my signature'in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES MEERSKWEATHEE.Y

Witnesses THOMAS BROTHERS, GEO. HATHAWAY. 

